Classes Resume at Rutgers But Instructor Unions Continue to Picket: What's Next?

Classes may be back on at Rutgers University campuses, but the picketing by instructor unions continues as negotiators try to turn a framework agreement into actual contracts with several unions.

For students who are getting back to studies after a week’s strike interruption, they now know how their studies will be impacted this semester due to the strike.

In a statement, the administration says instructors have discretion to alter due dates, assessments, grading policies and more to make up for last week.

"Our professors are very accommodating and its near the end of the semester so they know how we’ve performed during the semester," graduate student Aakanksha Bhatter said.

For those still picketing, no longer striking instructors, it boils down to filling in the blanks to the framework that ended the strike Friday night.

"We are here to protest our administration until they do the right thing and make sure some of the precarious workers in our coalition that our demands are met," graduate instructor Mich Ling said.

 Health care, job guarantees and more were still being negotiated as of Monday morning. But a warning if there’s no progress to the union’s satisfaction: another strike could still take place.

"If things fall apart it’s not out of the question that we can walk back out before the end of the week," RU-AAUP union leader Hank Katel said.

Professors and teaching assistants called off the strike once the framework was reached—in what they say was to make sure students can register for next year, or in the case of seniors, graduate next month.

But, if the ongoing talks falter, it’s anyone’s guess what’s next.